Mercat

Korn Design collaborated with Sage Restaurant Group, and architect David Ashen of Dash Design on the design of Mercat, a modern Catalan restaurant and bar in Chicago. To distinguish Mercat from conventional Spanish tapas restaurants, we built the project with the essence of Barcelona at its core. We were inspired by the colorful Mercat de Santa Caterina, which exemplifies the street life of this creative, high-energy city.

The design integrates modern Catalan aesthetics to create a vibrant ambience reminiscent of Barcelona’s bustling markets. Antoni Gaudi’s intricate mosaic tiles inspire the iconic hexagonal motif of the signage and graphic patterns. Large-scale mirrored murals of street life in Barcelona, playful fruit stickers inspired by fresh produce found in the market, drink coasters with varied scenes, menus in vibrant colors and bold, graphic t-shirts add up to a carefully crafted experience.